Ryu Gets His Groove Back
by madworlder
Summary: Chapter one of part one of a four-part series!
1. Part 1, Chapter 1

"Outta my way!"

Necro pushed his way through the merchants, destroying their wares and displays. Hoisting Effie over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, he knew he could not continue this ordeal for long before she was harmed.

The angry salesmen protested in Chinese, but were interrupted by Necro's huntsman- a large, grey man- no, thing- whose visage was impossible to determine. It leaped into the air and grew wings to continue its pursuit, leaving the once-rowdy vendors in complete silence.

Necro flailed through the Beijing streets.

"Um... I-Ilia?"m Effie stuttered. Before Necro could respond, Twelve swooped over the couple and turned to face.

"I-I was g-going t-to say...", Effie's voice trailed off as Necro set her down. His aggressor looked him over with inhuman eyes. Its hands morphed into all instruments of destruction, edged, pointed, and blunt.

Necro surprised himself as he ran to attack first. He would not wait for the creation to attack, he was sick of constantly being on the run and somewhat happy the Illuminati was thoughtful enough to send him a punching bag. Twelve sharpened itself in defense, but Necro was the origin of its mutating shape, and would not fall for such a trick. The elastic Russian wrapped himself around the extended spike and channeled electricity through his body. Twelve reacted violently, melting and convulsing, struggling to maintain a solid form.

In the crowd naturally drawn by such a conflict, Effie watched on diligently. However, she was not the only one who was unusually invested in the fight- a tall, bald foreigner was intrigued by the man in purple's unique fighting style.

Once a few more blows were exchanged, Twelve was badly damaged. It glared at Necro and dissolved into a nearby gutter. Effie cheered and went to make sure her partner wasn't injured. The bald man also approached Necro, baring a somewhat menacing smile.

"That was some show, there. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Sagat asked Necro.

"Learn?" Necro laughed. "You'd never believe it, but I wasn't taught. It… it's a long story," he chuckled as he looked at Effie.

"I am curious. I have seen powers like yours, but not used in the way you do. Tell me your name, and your story."

"I'm Nec-" he paused. "...I'm Ilia. You are?"

"I am the one they call the King of Muay Thai. I am Sagat."

"Well, Sagat, it happened like this…"

Necro explained his story of opera, Illuminati, and true love. Sagat sympathised with Necro's struggle and admired the rubber man's perseverance. The trio of Sagat, Necro, and Effie walked through Beijing until nightfall, sharing the tales of their travels.

"Ilia, my friend, you are in danger as long as you roam these streets." Sagat bode. "The Illuminati has eyes and informants everywhere. Return to Thailand with me, and I will train you to defend yourself properly. The Illuminati created you, if you do not learn new tricks, they will soon defeat you."

"You may have a point there. How long would it take me to master a thing like that, Muay Thai?" Necro asked.

"For a student as capable as yourself? With much training, you could become proficient in nearly a year. You will be under my protection the entire time, the Illuminati has no place in my dojo."

"And Effie?"

"Of course, she is also welcome."

With a smile, and a shake of hands, the master, the student, and his lover set off for Thailand.


	2. Part 1, Chapter 2

After hitchiking their way to Sagat's dojo in Thailand, Sagat made them rooms. Training would start within the week. Necro would start a strict diet of rice, beef and local vegetables, and was given a heavy sandbag to put in his room. Sagat advised Necro to start kicking the bag to condition his shins.

Even before training began, Necro and Effie began to realize the weight of their decision. The ideal of safety to them at the time had been a bit too good to pass up. They would miss travelling; they had been on the run together for nearly three years. They would still be together, which comforted them, but something was amiss. They had only been at Sagat's dojo for four days, and yet it was the longest time they had spent in one place since they could remember.

Training was hell. Sagat had forbid Necro from altering his shape during training. He could use his fancy Illuminati tricks once he had mastered the art, but Sagat had made sure that Necro must learn the art in honesty. When Sagat had given him the sandbag, Necro didn't realize just how important toughening his shins would be. Sagat's bones were harder than bricks, and he loved demonstrating this to Ilia. Necro would fall in pain from kicking a tree, and Sagat would throw a brick, a metal pipe, or a tree trunk into the air and split it in two with his shin.

"Get up! You must continue!" Sagat would roar.

And Necro would. But it was not easy.

Aside from kicking hard things, Necro spent hours punching hard things, elbowing hard things, kneeing hard things, shadowboxing, jumping rope, and performing calisthenics. He would do some assortment of these things for nearly eight hours a day, he would be taught form and meditate in another two hours. The rest was for sleeping and eating.

The Illuminati rarely visited Necro and Effie any more. Any time one of Necro's many clones showed up, Sagat would smile and use one of his trademark skills to defeat it. This was easily the best thing about being at Sagat's dojo; and every time Sagat defeated a pawn of the Illuminati Necro would reaffirm his commitment to training.

Effie made herself useful around Sagat's place, and oftentimes Sagat thought himself more thankful to have her than Effie and Necro did to have him. She helped prepare meals, cleaned the dojo, and when it wasn't Necro's duty, ran to the market to buy food. She spent her days playing with local children in the village and worrying about Necro and the Illuminati. At night, she often found herself patching up Ilia, who swore he couldn't go another day but always did.

Eleven months had passed. Necro hadn't met Sagat's original expectation of one year, but he continued to train under the king. He woke up early and proceeded to the training grounds. As he kicked wooden dummies, Sagat emerged from the dojo.

"It is time you learn the technique that makes me the god of Muay Thai." Sagat grinned.

Initially, Necro could hardly harness enough ki to create the Tiger Shot. He had more success with the Low Tiger Shot, he thought because of the conuctors implanted in his body by the Illuminati. Within a month, Necro could create a small fire. After two months of the harshest training yet, he created a blaze. Sagat promised to teach him the Tiger Cannon soon if he continued his progress.

It was an early morning in March, fourteen months after Necro had begun his training. Necro had mastered the Tiger Shot, and Sagat had agreed to teach him the Tiger Cannon. This would mark the ending of Necro's formal training, and Necro would be able to once again travel the globe with Effie, now in possession the power to stop the Illuminati if they continued to hunt him.

Sagat walked to the training grounds, observing the scorched dummies Necro had been practicing on. He smiled at his student.

"Ilia, you have come a long way from a year ago. Through months of training, you have become a powerful warrior. You have honed your skills diligently, and I respect that. It is because of this respect for you that I will teach you the final technique of Muay Thai, the Tiger Cannon."

"Thank you, master!" Necro smiled. "It's because of you that I am safe from my enemies, I am truly grateful."

"Ilia, it is a tradition of Muay Thai for a master to give a headband, called Mongkohn, to a student once he believes he is worthy of it. Today, you have earned your Mongkhon. It shall bring luck to you as long as it does not touch the ground."

Sagat adorned Necro with the Mongkohn, but before Necro could express his gratitude, a shrieking laugh came from the dojo.


End file.
